Oil Rig Explodes Off La.; 11 Missing, 17 Hurt

The Associated Press
In this aerial photo taken in the Gulf of Mexico more than 50 miles southeast of Venice on Louisiana’s tip, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig is seen burning Wednesday.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - A boat carrying survivors from Tuesday night's oil rig explosion and fire in the Gulf of Mexico has arrived in Louisiana.

Their families were there to meet them.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard says it's searching through the night for 11 workers still missing. It's hoped they escaped in one of the platform's covered lifeboats. Two cutters are in the Gulf searching for survivors along with three Coast Guard aircraft and a civilian helicopter.

A total of 126 workers were aboard the rig when it blew up. The Coast Guard says 17 were taken by air or sea to hospitals. Four were reported in critical condition.

An official with Transocean says there was no sign of trouble before the blast aboard the Deepwater Horizon rig.

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